The Saint Louis University Museum of Art Deserves a Spot on Your STL Itinerary

Can you believe that one of the best university art museums in the U.S. remains virtually undiscovered by both residents and visitors of St. Louis?

“It’s true!” Petruta Lipan, executive director of museums and galleries at Saint Louis University, says. “Everyone calls the Saint Louis University Museum of Art a hidden gem – that’s all the more reason to pay us a visit. You’ll be surprised by the diversity of our collections and exhibitions.”

Housed in a stunning Beaux-Arts building, which dates to the turn of the 20th century, the Saint Louis University Museum of Art encompasses an impressive permanent collection of works by modern masters – think pop art by Andy Warhol, avant-garde glass by Dale Chihuly, paradoxical pieces by Roy Lichtenstein, figurative works by Kiki Smith and abstract portraits by Chuck Close.

Legacy, a temporary exhibition currently on view at the museum, also showcases 20th- and 21st-century artwork, standing as a testament to the remarkable generosity of the late Dr. William D. Merwin, who was a longtime supporter of the Saint Louis University Museum of Art.

Dr. Merwin had a profound affection for printmaking, and the expansive collection on display in the exhibition encapsulates various techniques of the medium. You can expect to see works by Chuck Close, Christo, Jim Dine, Jasper Johns, James Rosenquist and Kiki Smith, among other notable artists.

“Beyond the celebration of artistic achievement by these renowned artists, Legacy pays homage to philanthropists like Dr. Merwin, whose generous contributions create educational opportunities for our students and the community at large,” Lipan explains. “Academic institutions always aim to educate, and at the Saint Louis University Museum of Art, our mission is to educate everyone, not just our students.

“Working within a larger institution, I’ve never felt limited,” Lipan continues. “On the contrary, we have the freedom to experiment with exhibitions and educational programs without the pressure to perform; we measure failure differently than, say, the Saint Louis Art Museum or the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.”

Later in the year, a temporary exhibition at the Saint Louis University Museum of Art will focus on the archaeology of medieval Ireland. Dr. Thomas J. Finan, chair of the department of history and an associate professor of history at Saint Louis University, directs the Kilteasheen Archaeological Project, one of the largest ongoing archaeological surveys and excavations in Ireland, and his work inspired the show.

“The exhibition centers on Dr. Finan’s discoveries over more than 25 years,” Lipan says. “Those are interesting in and of themselves, but the way that we’re exhibiting them is also fascinating.

“The archeological process in Ireland is highly controlled by the government, which doesn’t allow any unearthed artifacts out of the country,” she continues. “However, Dr. Finan has scanned every object that he’s discovered, and we’ll 3D print them for the exhibition. We’re not trying to trick viewers into thinking that the objects are the originals, but technology allows us to bring them closer to these invaluable pieces of history.”

This fall, another temporary exhibition called Persuasive Politics will look at presidential memorabilia through the lens of presidential elections. A George Washington coat button, a Franklin D. Roosevelt glass ashtray, an “I Like Ike” cigarette pack, a Kennedy-Johnson paper hat and a Nixon paper dress are among the historical and oftentimes whimsical campaign items that inform the exhibition.

“Image has always mattered to presidential candidates,” Lipan says, “and as soon as they could produce campaign materials, they did. When distance truly separated people from their leaders, catchy slogans were necessary to communicate a candidate’s personality, experience and political ideology to a scattered electorate.”

In time, technology allowed a candidate’s message to be summarized on everything from flags to fans and parasols to handkerchiefs, eternalizing the political passions and ambitions of candidates across centuries. At the exhibition, ask yourself: Which pieces of campaign material would persuade you to vote one way or another?

This year, the Saint Louis University Museum of Art will also open a fourth-floor gallery that spotlights world cultures. “Together, the artworks and artifacts paint a vivid picture of the breadth of our permanent collection,” Lipan says, “while encouraging our students, our staff and our community to broaden their horizons and learn something new every day.”

To explore further off the beaten path, check out our list of hidden gems in St. Louis.